SAfAIDS ‘Transforming Lives’ programme is working to build a policy environment that ensures sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and rights for ALL. The programme is built on four strategic pillars: policy development; policy advocacy; social accountability monitoring (SAM) of SRH; and regional evidence and knowledge sharing.

Transforming Lives

Rock Leadership 90

UNAIDS set Fast Track targets on HIV prevention and treatment that are aimed at ending AIDS by 2030. These include reducing new infections to 500,000 and 200,000 by 2021 and 2030 respectively. By 2020 it is however hoped that 90% of people will know their HIV status, 90% are on treatment and 90% of them with viral suppression. These fast track targets have now been coined the “90*90*90*” goals.

KP REACH

The KP REACH programme was formulated by KP networks and NGOs in southern Africa, to address the high levels of HIV infection among sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender (TG) and women who have sex with women (WSW). The programme is being implemented in eight southern African countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The focus is on strengthening regional KP networks and community systems in the region. The aim is for these groups to advocate for policy change and change attitudes and beliefs in order to reduce HIV incidence and mortality among KPs and increase the sustainability of the HIV response.

Changing the Rivers Flow for Young People

Zimbabwe is mainly a patriarchal society in which boys and girls are taught from early childhood to internalize societal messages about how males and females are expected to behave, who makes decisions, and where power dynamics lie. These behaviors contribute to reinforcing unequal gender roles and responsibilities that culminate into high risk of HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Materials Development

We have a dedicated team of skilled information and design specialists with over 15 years’ experience in the production of health developmental information, responding to the information needs of different sectors and communities in Southern Africa. We are specialists in sexual and reproductive health issues, including TB and HIV, gender, and best practise documentation, and bring an in-depth understanding of local contexts to inform our work.

Young People's Leadership Academy - YPLA

Transformational Leadership Academy (YPLA) is based at the SAfAIDS Regional Office, in Harare Zimbabwe, and targets young women and men aged between 18 and 24 years. The goal of YPLA is to build on the leadership capacity of selected young women and men across southern Africa to lead and direct a vibrant youth movement in their respective countries. Candidates are selected from Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Academy aims to change minds, bodies and whole lives for positive SRH outcomes for young people and the creation of a well-rounded leader. The programme also seeks to improve candidates’ leadership qualities with special emphasis on areas such as gender, sexuality and SRHR. The Academy was established through support from Sweden, as part of the Sustainable Communities of Real Excellence (SCORE) Programme. The overall goal of the programme is to contribute to a sustained 50% reduction in new infections and improved positive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes for communities in southern Africa by 2018.

What We Do

We Want To See People In Africa Realise Their Sexual And Reproductive Health And Rights And Be Free From The Burden Of HIV, TB And Other Related Developmental Health Issues.

Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights

Sexual and reproductive health and rights or SRHR is the concept of human rights applied to sexuality and reproduction. It is a combination of four fields that in some contexts are more or less distinct from each other, but less so or not at all in other contexts.

HIV is spread only in certain body fluids from a person infected with HIV. These fluids are blood, semen, pre-seminal fluids, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, and breast milk. In the United States, HIV is spread mainly by having sex or sharing injection drug equipment, such as needles, with someone who has HIV.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the use of HIV medicines to treat HIV infection. People on ART take a combination of HIV medicines (called an HIV regimen) every day. ART is recommended for everyone infected with HIV. ART can't cure HIV, but HIV medicines help people with HIV live longer, healthier lives.

As a consequence of HIV and AIDS, Zimbabwe is facing one of the biggest challenges it has ever had to confront. The lives of millions of children, adolescents and young people have been redefined by HIV and AIDS (UNICEF, 2005).

Southern Africa HIV and AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS) is a member of the Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance. SAfAIDS heads the Alliance's thematic cluster on health, sexual and reproductive health (SRH), and HIV.

Key populations, identified by UNAIDS as female sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), and injecting drug users, have the highest risk of contracting and transmitting HIV. Yet they also have the least access to prevention, care, and treatment services because their behaviors are often stigmatized, and even criminalized.

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SAfAIDS mission is to be a centre of excellence that promotes effective and ethical development responses to SRH, HIV and TB intergrated with livelihood strategies; through advocacy, communication and social mobilization (ACSM)